oa AGRICULTURAL. Few realize how dependent we are for our fruit crop upon the ministrations of bees and other insects. The tree fruits are es- pecially influenced: by the visits of insects whose mission it is, all unawares, to dis- tribute the pollen. [he apple, for instance, has five beautiful pink petals surrounding the selloy pollen eae ‘blossoms ay Fa stigmas, and each sti is connected with the core fruit. At the proper time the tiny meres are filled wi to aoe the ower is prepared to receive the pollen grai from the dusty bees as they are fitting among them, intent only upon their own crazy greed for the homey, wholly uncon- scious of the wonderful part they are play- ing ina still more wonderful nature. But there are five of these stigmas, and withouta distinct fertilization of each one separately an imperfect fruit is formed, which. in most cases constitutes the windfalls. Opposite the hollow cheek on an apple will be found immature seeds, showing that an imperfect fertilization had taken place, ifany at all, in that particular pistil. ‘The apple being one of a large class of blossoms in which the anther and pistil of the same flower do not mature at the same time, self-fertilization is impossible, and a cross must be obtained from another blossom of the same species of plant. Gooseberries, currants and raspber- ries are also largely indebted to insect life for the fruit they bear, and in the last two undeveloped parts are often found due to imperfect fertilization, as in the apple and clover. It has been stated that unless we lave a few hours of sunshine when early cherries are in bloom we shall have no cherries at all, and we frequently have a season when cold rain storms so prevent the bees from getting out that not a cherry is produced. Manuring Wheat. The manuring of wheat in spring, if the ground is ina high state of fertility, may not be required, and would probably do “harm, as, when the plant is forced too much the disease know as ‘‘rust,” or ‘“tred gum” is sure to attack the crop. The colour of the plant is the surest indication as to whether manure is or is not required. When the plants look paler than usual it shows that there is an absence of the necessary amount of nit nous food ; and to remedy this, the application of 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda in April is recommended. It is well to mix the nitrate with about two bushels of ashes, as it willbe more evenly spread, and as the nitrate of soda is scarcely soluble, the chances of its being washed away before the plant can make use of it will be lessened, if it is sown at two different times, a fortnight’s interval between each. It is calculated that 7 cwt. of nitrate of soda Cpa an increase 0 four bushels of grain, and half ton of straw per acre. Unless the land isin a fairly fertile condition the application of nitrogenous manures alone .is not advisable. These manures merely act as stimulants, and un- less there is plenty of other food available in the soil to back them up and keep the plant going, after the temporary assistance of the nitrate or sulphate of ammonia _has_pas ~~ off, the crop will fall away and deteriorate greatly toward the harvest, and be ina worse position than it would have been had no stimulant been applied. When, therefore, dealing with land in a low state of fertility,’ manures of a more general character should be employed, as for instance 2 or 3 cwt. of superphosphate or guano, Soot is frequently used as a op meeens for wheat early in spring at the rate of 20 or 30 bushels per acre; it- produces. similar results to -nitrate of soda, and the remarks made with refer- ence to that manure apply alsp in this case. _Soot is recommended as a remedy for slugs, but no topdressing is as effectual as salt, which also increase the strength of straw. Costly Scrubs. I attended an auction lately where some yearling steers sold for $8 a head. I solda yearling to-day for $16, and could sell any number of such steers at this figure. I too some pains in breeding mine ; my.neighbor did not. I have atwo-year-old heifer which girths, just back of the forelegs, 80 inches}; just forward of the hind-legs, 87 inches. She has a fine head, and her ribs spring out nearly straight from the back-bone. She hasa fine-shaped udder and a good escutch- eon. I anticipate a great milker and good breeder. She, and the yearling just sold, are from , common cow, served by a purebred Durham bull. Now, any farmer can do as well as this. By a little care and judgment in aoe breeding animals—mares, cows, ewes and | swine, and breeding to pure-blood males, one can double the return from stock sales in a very short time, while the money out will be very little more than if one kept scrub stock. Another thing: A thrifty animal, well kept from the start, is ready for market any time. Some cows though having good points, do not prove reeders—their calves do not start and grow and develop early. Such animals should be got off the farm as soon as practicable. It is surprising to see how many such animals there are in every neighborhood, and farmers complain they are not getting prices they should for their stock.—[Charles Betts. ; How to Raise Turkeys. Turkeys are considered by many farmers very delicate an rd to raise, and for this reason they are not found on many farms. If farmers understood their nature better, turkeys would become more common. Every ultry man or farmer that has ten acres of find or more can easily raise turkeys to ad- vantage; if the conditions are favorable they are one of the most profitable kinds of post try to raise. Geta pure breed, either for market or home use. Such are cheaper in t+e@ long-run, and do not let size be the only qualification; a flock of good medium si square bodied: “well mature] birds is what ’ at Two bring more money at one lean, lank fellow that weighs twenty unds, I do not strive to get size in my ten l either male or female. We do this for the reason that the eggs of the larg- est i sale as large as those _ is, and it is pretty geneval) + emice.’1 that for active vitality and-nre treeving tie male must not be too large. lt is mostly a question of feed as relates | ha to size and heavy we'ghts. I have taken the turkey and made them weigh .] pure made with breeds of turkeys good veight can be ordinary care and asma!l amount of feed. Here lies the superbrity of the thoroughbred over the scrub. In picking out hens do no let ‘great weight influence mu. Good form, fine stout legs, the same will be proper with the male in buying. He should not be elated to the females. One male is sufficiert for a dozen females; all things considered: t have found the White Holland turkey the.most profit- able for the farmer to raise, as the hardy, mature early, are docie in disposi- tion, not inclined to stray off aid fall victims to hawks and skunks, Like th wilder vari- eties in quality ef flesh, they we par excel- lence as table fowls and prdific layers of good sized eggs: a | Desiring to raise as many 8 possible to the number of hens kept for »reeding pur- ses, I set the first laying of >gg8 the tur- ey. hens ‘lay, under the thicken hens, When they hatch I examine b see if they have any vermine on them; if so, I dust them with insect powder anl keep them cooped closely for three or fou: days, until they get used to the call of thehen. If al- lowed to run ont they are lilely to stray I feed = g g E E g 3 E 3 3 Fy : square ies and-breast,; are what is vanted. Much | stock had HOW TO HANDLE ASHOT GUN. BY MAURICE THOMPSON. The first good shotgun that I eversaw was a double-barreled, _ flint-locked one, whose 28 -fine-aeany-thab-F have since® seen. mn the breech and fore part of the stock, all of are} which were rude but singularly effective, : imal e presentations of_ birds and other he locks brought from Mexico in the time of our war with that country. The original stock, how- ever, had been replated by the “homemade” one which I have described. young man who used it, for he was the sur- est wing shot that I ever saw pull trigger. In a trial of skill he killed 41 quails Ielors missing one, and that, too, in sassafras cover, where the birds rose out of most diffi- cult p le How had he become so proficient? To such an inquiry I should answer; ‘‘He always kept cool and always looked at his bird.” Really this thing of hooking at your bird, simple as it may seem, is the largest successful healthy condition. Corn mealdough should not be given them, as they areliable to diar-! rhea, and it increases thit tendency. | Their food should be strictly fresh. Keep cooped in the morning until tle dew is off the grass, until they are six weks old, for’ cold spring rains and dew are fital to young! turkeys. The second laying of eggs I let the turkey hen sit on and raie ‘the brood. I do not pay much attention t« them except to feed a little each evening toget them ac- customed to come up at night, and keep them growing. They will pict up most of! their living in their rambles. Productive- | ness depends on the care. If you breed and if you succeed in raising birds let it be known by exhibiting anl advertising. The owner of really good, higt-scoring stock usually gets for them all his cmscience will allow him to ask. A Horse's Sense of fmell. The hozse will leave musty lay untouched in his bin, however hungry. He will not drink of water objectionable to his question- ing sniff, or from a bucket which some odor es offensive, however thinty. His intel- ligent nostril will widen, quiver and query over the daintiest bit offered by the fairest of hands, with coaxings that would make a mortal shut his eyes and swallow a nauseous | thoroughbreds, breed only fom the best, | 5 mouthful at a gulp. mare 18 never satisfied bz either sight or whinny that/her colt is rally her own, until she has a certified nas: certificate to the fact. A blind horse, nw living, ‘will not allow the approach of any stranger with- out wesc signs of anger rot salely to be disregarded, e distinctim is evidentl made by his sense of smell, and ata prone erable distance. Blind horses, as a rule, wi gallop wildly about a pasture without. strik- ing the surrounding fence. The sense of smell informs them of its prozimity. Others will, when loosened from the stable, go dir- ectly to the gate or bars opened to their ac- customed feeding grounds, and when desir- ing to return, atter hours of careless wander- ing, will distinguish one outlet and patiently await its opening. The odor'of that particular part of the fence is their pilot to it. The horse in browsing, or while gathering herbage with its lips, is guided in its choice of proper food entirely by its nostrils. Blind horses do not make mistakes in their diet. In rt of shooting on the wing with the shotgun. The shooter who looks at his gun when about to fire is never a brilliant marksman. you are able to pect directly at it you may be sure that shot after a little practice. When you are ready to go into the field to shoot e you must keep well in mind the following rules for handling your gun: 1. Never let the muzzle of your piece point tf any person. ; 2. Always carry your gun with the muzzle inting away-from you. 3. When climbing a fence es your gun over first, after taking out both the shells. 4. Never drag a gun toward you. Nearly half the accidents that have hap- ned to boys from handling of guns have fom owing to the neglect of the fourth of the above rules. Most boys know that it is considered un- reienaalike to shoot at any bird when-it is not flying, or at any hare or rabbit that is not running. It is the law of ‘polite shoot- ing” that the game must have a fair chance to escape, especially when the shotgun is = sure to escape. probably so frighten you that you'will stand with your mouth open and staring eyes until it has disa) ; Then you will: wonder why you didn’t shoot. a after. -you—have-learned~ to~control your nerves you will find it very hard at first to hit your bird, because you will for- the temple of Olympus a bronze horse was exhibited, at the sight of which six real orses experienced themost violent emotions. Aelian judiciously observes that the most rfect art could not imitate nature sufficient- Saha rodu strong an illusi i liny and ‘Pausanius, he consequently affirms that ‘‘in casting the statue a magician had thrown Hippomanes upon it,” which by the odor of the plant deceived the horses, and therein we have the secret of the miracle. The scent alone of a buffalo robe will cause many horses to evince lively terror, and the floating scent of a railroad train will frighten some long after the locomotive is out of sight and hearing. Every Farmer Should be a Painter. Every farmer ought to learn how to use the paint brush. Then at odd times he can do much at home improvement that without this accomplishment would certainly go un- done. Paint itself is not so expensive as its application. Occasionally a city painter will break over the trade union regulations when out of a job and hard up and work at prices that farmers can afford to pay. But in all such cases they are very particular not to be found out, as if industry could ever be a dis- credit. We do not especially blame those who paint for a living for asking high wages. To work continuonsly in paints, especially of lead, is unhealthful. Herein is another rea- son why the farmer may often with the best of motives do his own painting. ‘‘What,” it will be asked, ‘‘if it is an unhealthful business?” Yes, because to do a little paint- ing will not injure any one. It is the con- stant employment in forms of lead and other mineral poisons that breaks down health and shortens life. Considering how easily the painter's trade, at least for common work, may be learned, there is reason in the argu- ment that everybody ought to know and do a little of it. Country life, especially, would be brighter if old and young on the farm took their turns at brightening it with paint. Wagons, tools and farm buildings of all kinds are more durable when painted frequently, and painted they will not be, as experi roves, unless the farmer does it himself. e division of labor tbat in most other things works well is'a mistake here. In the country atleast each man may do some paint- ing with benefit to himself, and prevent the entailment of misery and early death on _ | a class of professional painters. When it takes a fellow eighteen minutes to assist a girl to don her sealskin sacque the natural inference is that he hopes to be more than a brother to her. A miner's wife, noted for her large family, was always bling that she could not keep them clean. One day Biddy was re- turning home from the town with a large tub on her shoulder. A neighbor happen- ing to meet her says to her :—‘‘ Biddy, -why ve t such a big tub?” “Sure, and it’s for me children. I can put two in Lif flying downward. This makin rience} et to aim ahead of it if flying across your ine of sight, or above if rising, or below it allow- ance for flight can be learned ay 2 Ny prac- tice. No rule can be laid down for it, Usu- ¢| ally in beginning you will make too much al- wance. It is when shooting at strong- flying water fowl that the need of making great allowance is most urgent; but even then the allowance is not more than 10 or 12 feet in 40 yards. In hare shooting it is necesgary to ‘‘allow” for running by aiming a trifle above the game when it is running straight away from you. This is because your line of sight is above it as you stand. The shotgun requires the very best of care in order to do good work. It must be kept perfectly clean, and must always be jontiad to suit its ‘‘habit,” asIcail it. By this I mean that each gun hasa capacity or quality for shooting a certain load best, and any other load will lessen its effectiveness. By a little experimenting you_can find out the load that suits your piece. Carry your gun on your shoulder with the muzzle elevated and the hammers down, save when you are expecting game to rise, then ow may hold it at ‘‘ready” which is as fol- ows ; Cock both barrels, grasp the stoc with the right hand, as in firing, and sus- tain the barrels at an upward angle in the left hand, just in front of and across the breast, the breech-heel a little below the right elbow. This gives perfect freedom of action when the game rises. Moreover it is the safest position in which to carry the gun, both for yourself and your companions, if you have any. . . Never be in a hurry with a gun, no matter what the a) ent emergency : it is the de- liberate and cool sportsman that is quickest and surest. Remember that what is done as a habit is-done perfectly, and all that you have to do to make a crack shot of yourself is to learn to fire habitually by the most approved rule. a Vhen a bird rises before you the first thing to do is to get pa eyes fixed steadily on it, and the next thing is to bring your gun to besr on your point of aim by a single tle right-hand barrel. If ou miss; move the gun in by a steady but swift move- ment tothe new point of aim, and fire the left-hand barrel. Now, boys, remember and be careful ; for the gun is a good friend to the prudent and cautious thooter, but a terrible enemy to the careless and imprudent one. atonce. The timeI am e€ one common twenty-five pounds in two years. With the other can be steeping.’ ‘ four years to mature. ¢ motion, while at the same instant you fire- SUNDAY READING. Kneeling at the Threshold. I'm kneeling at the threshold, weary; faitit, Waiting, for the dawning, for the opening of e door ; | Waiting-till-the~ Master shall bid inte” rise A weary path I’ve travelled, 'mid darkness, storm, and strife, Bearing many a burden, struggling for my e; But now the morn is breaking, my toil will soon be o’er ; I'm oe at the threshold, my hand is on e r. Methinks I hear the voice of the blessed as they stand Singitig in the sunshine of the far-off, sinless their song. The friends that started with me have enter- e me ago; One by. one they left me struggling with the oe; Their pilgrimage was shorter, their triumph sooner won ; ; How lovingly they'll hail me when all my toil is done ! ; With them the blessed angels, that know no grief nor sin, I see them by the portal prepared to’ let me in; O Lord, I wait thy pleasure, thy time and way are best. But. I’m wasted, worn, and weary ;O Father bid me rest ! W. Le ALEXANDER. Golden Thoughts for Every Day. Monday — More things are wrought by prayer Than this wogld dreams of. ~ Wherefore, let Rise like a fountain for me night’and day. For what are men better th an sheep or ts, That fst a blind life within the brain, If, knowing God, they lift not hands of fethem Both for themselves and those who call thent riend ? na: For so, the whole round earth is every wa Bound by gold chains about the feet of God. —Lorp Tesnyson. Tuesday—So distinguished by a Divine wisdom, power and goodness, are God’s works of creation and providence, that all nature, by the gentle voices of her skies and streams, ofher fields and forests, as well as by the roar of the breakers, the crash of voleano, and the destroying hurricane, echoes the closing sentence of this angel hymn, ears OP holy is the Lord God Imighty; -whole earth” is full of His glory !"—THomas GUTHRIE. Wednesday—Yet there Thou art. The tenderness of Thine infinitude looks upon me from these heavens, hou art in them and in me. use Thou thinkest, I think. am thine—all Thine—I abandon myself to Thee. Fill me with Thyse!f. WhenI am full of Thee, my griefs themse!-es will grow golden in thy sunlight. Tho holdest them and-their- cause, and~ will find some nobler atonement between them than ve forget- fulness and the death o/ love. L «1. let me help those that are wretched because they do not know thee. Let me tell them that Thou, the life, must needs s or and with them, thst ey may made partakers of Thy ineffable peace. My life is hid in Thine, take me in thy hand.— GEORGE. MACDONALD. Thursday — It is the Mynd that maketh good or ill, That snckoath wretch or happie,. rich or poore ; ; For some, that hath abundance at his will, Hath not enough, but wants in greatest store ; And other, that hath little, asks no more, But in that little is both rich and wise ; For wisdome is most riches ; fools therefore, They are which fourtune doe by vows de- vise. Sith each unto himself his life may fortu- nize. — EDMUND SPENSER. Friday—It is enouga for God if He limits April to thirty days ; He does not want it on the tHirty-first day : it ceases, and goes back into His t heaven, and May ins. He docu ack tating back eighteen seventy into eighteen seventy-one, and say, ‘‘There, have brushed it up for you, and made the best of it I can ; you must try itagain.” No. He takes the years, blows them away; creates new ones ; never gives you an old leaf, or tells you to put a faded flower into water and try to get up ite colors and f ce again. ‘‘He is able to do exceeding abund- antly above all that we ask or think.”— JosErH PARKER. , Saturday— ‘‘Let not your heart te troubled,” then He -_ sai “My Father’s house has mansions large and fair: I go before*you to prepare your place; will return to take you with me there.” And since that hour, the awful foe is charm- And life and death are glorified and fair : Whither he went, we know—the way we know, And with firm steps press on to meet Him r —Mrs. H B. Stowe. Canon Liddon on the Triumphs of Faith. Preaching recently at St. Paul’s Cathedral from the Epistle for the day, Cannon Liddon- said that the vow of Renunciation, a condi- tion of our baptism, implied a moral victory over the world. He traced the various mean- ings of the word world as used by different writers in Holy Scripture, and illustrated the influence of the world (in its sense of Some th To the glory of his presence, to the gladness of his home. thunder, the rumbling earthquake, the fiery power. s: and tothat which commenced at Oxford ‘y-seven years ago,. where it was alle that the victory of faith over the world ea fallen out of both in preaching and practice. Why was that so? There seemed te be two reasons—namely, men feared bein life it-we took th this too literally. i preac! the influence of the world indifferent periods of life : in youth and early life it presen=1 - itself in the fascinating form of the smiling ts the tra - er at the door, carefully avoidi ae sh aly ence to the bill which will bed at the close of the visit—a mark ontack to the ness of the Bible. In the tre ighteousness, as - does the Christian, is to have taken the world’s. measure, and to have parted com- Piny with it now and for ever. 7 2 a A New Way to Build a Church. — “4 ci ogg with church, Brooklyn, who practically the affairs of the Tabaruncte, mo ditty. so highly favored of fortune that they could supply the $150,000 required for the propos- ed new church, and never miss the money. Instead, however, of showing-their apprecia- tion of Christianity, and witnessing to the benefits they have received by an ocular emonstration which the world could not gainsay, they have, for the purpose of rais- ing the required amount, resorted to means which, if not questionable under any circum- stances, are certainly of doubtful propriety in their case. One of their brightest. ideas is the offer of a valuable piano to the person sending in the largest number of subscrip- tions to the Christian Herald, which appears to be under the control of the church. - other is a proposition to give a five-hundred dollar organ to the church having the great- est number of votes, such votes to be in.the nature of ballots printed in this same paper. Other inducements are in the shape of chairs, a terra cotta bust of Dr. Talmage, and a picture of the new Tabernacle. Thus far the members of the church, who are the real beneficiaries of all these attempts to raise money, have not su ibed a cent. The adoption of such neue on the part of a congregation abundantly able to rise and build a house for the Lord ont of their own resources is extremely censurable, and does more than all the attacks of unbelievers to curtail the church's influence and lessen her . The wonder is when one comes to think of the burdens imposed upon Christian- ity by her so-called friends, not that she makes so little progress in the.werld, but. that she continués to attract inJany measure those that are without. Were Christianity a merely hnman system her friends would have killed her long ago. Dr. Talmaze’s > oe Helped Napoleon to Escape. There has just died at Rouen a man who layed an important part in the history. of rance. His name was Thorel, and_he was one of the principal actors in the escape of Napoleon III. fom imprisonment in the Castle of Ham in 1846. Mr Thorel was a drummer at the time, and drove his trap be- tween the various towns and villages of the departments of .Somme and the Pas-de Calais. In the discharge of his commercial duties he came into contact with Thelin the devoted servant of the imprisoned prince, and was induced i to co-operate in th escape. It was in Thorel’s velncle that Na- poleon got away, and it was Thorel also who provided him with clothes and other articles of which he stood in need at the time. M. Thorel was not forgotten when Napoleon became emperor. He was made a knight of the Legion of Honor, and was aided finan- cially to such an extent that he was able to give up the road and settle down as a pros- rous merchant in Rouen. For many years Ire filled the office of consul-general for the district in which he resided, —_ >. Japan Is Advancing. Japan's Parliament, which is to meet for the first time next November, will more nearly resemble the British Parliament than any other legislative body, but its H xuse of Lords will be an improvement on the English Sage Heuse. ides the hered- itary nobles who are to sitin this body there will be three other classes of members. The Counts, Viscounts and Barons will se- lect one-fifth of theirown number to sit in the Upper House; the Emperor will appoint a certain number of learned men to be mem- bers for life, and each Province will send toit one representative to be chosen by the fifteen largest vers. The Lower House will be very much ‘ike the House of Commons, the members being chosen by the electors with a tax qualification rpon voters. The House of Peers, it is to be observed, is founded upon aristocracies of blood, of learning and of money. In this ct it is superior to other aristocratic bodies of legislators, which often leave learnin t of the Guestion and respect only bl aad money. ‘ — The Behring Sea. Secretary of State, J. G. Blaine, has at length abandoned the ‘position that the United States has absolute jurisdiction over the Behring Sea._What the influences were not appear, and it is useless to speculate. Asa consequence of the surrender, however, it is expected that the Canadian vessel owners will be compensated for the loss of their vessels which were seized by the United States revenue cutters. The amount it is hoped to secure is ,000. Moreover the surrender has opened up the way for the British government to enter into any reason- able arrangement with the United States for the protection of the sc’ fishy in these Wid, 4. onisa abe ~ hot fee ow need te bx mt icted Si piovmons as indisprtable fac iv show to be easential to a preservation of the seal herds resorting to Behring Sea, the revenue interests of the Dnited States and t interests thé: lessees of the islands not coming within the scope of international cognizance. g hypocri thought that we Should negiess the duties. of 2 © language